Before allowing anyone
to go back home, Clark reported Adam's attempt to kidnap Alicia and
Lana to Sheriff Adams. Surprisingly, she'd immediately sent squad
cars to each of their homes to make sure the girls were safe if Adam
turned up again. The extra measure of security allowed Clark to
feel comfortable enough to let Lana head back home with Chloe.
Once Pete left, Clark insisted on driving Alicia back to her house.

Driving towards Alicia's home in his truck, Clark tried to
process the night's events in his mind. First there was the
thought of Adam with newfound powers targeting Alicia and Lana in
order to get to him. The thought made his stomach sick.
Clark had to overcome the urge to speed-search through Smallville and
beat the living tar out of Adam when he found him. Besides
there was a much bigger fish to fry named Jor-El. Clark had
some unfinished business with his Kryptonian father and he was
determined to resolve it before the night was over.

Clark
wasn't the only person whose mind was left swirling with questions.
Alicia rode in the passenger seat trying to make sense of everything
she'd witnessed tonight. A near abduction, a forced reveal of
her abilities, and visions triggered by glowing necklaces involving
mysterious characters with strange names was a bit much for one
night. Even for someone as used to weirdness as she was.
She looked over at Clark's face and saw an expression of worried
contemplation that mirrored what she was feeling inside.

Unable
to contain the myriad questions running through her mind, she began
directing some of them towards Clark.

"Clark, do you
think that Lana's right about why this Adam guy went after us? Does
it have something to do with him knowing about your powers?"

"It's possible," Clark hesitantly confessed,
"especially after what I learned just recently."

"What
did you find out, exactly?"

"Don't ask me how, but
one of my contacts came across the security video from that day we
met in the elevator and I saw what was on it."

"A
contact?"

Clark wanted to protect Chloe and not divulge
her identity if possible, especially since whoever sent her the
security video might have been involved in the kidnap attempt on
Alicia. But he also wanted to find a way to tell Alicia what
she needed to know without technically lying to her.

"It
pays to be involved in journalism," he explained.

"But
I thought you fried the security camera?"

"That's
true, but I also saw a video of someone from LuthorCorp examining the
remains of the elevator. I think that judging from the hole in the
elevator and the melted camera, that person could suspect that I
might have used my powers to save us from the elevator crash. And if
Lana's right, that same person might be using Adam to investigate me.
There's no evidence that would give anyone reason to suspect you,
though."

"Not that it matters now, anyway,"
Alicia sighed. "Adam saw me teleport Lana away from the Talon.
If Adam's actually in league with this person like you suspect, it's
all a moot point."

"I'm sorry I got you involved in
all this," he apologized. If it weren't for him, he
reasoned, then none of his friends would have been exposed to this
danger.

But Alicia was having none of that.

"Don't
apologize, Clark. There was nothing you could do about it. You were
only trying to help the people around you with your abilities.
There's nothing wrong with that."

"Besides,"
she grinned, "I think that's what makes you so special."

Slightly comforted by Alicia's words, Clark thought of
something else he had been dying to ask Alicia.

"So, I
guess Lana knows about your abilities now."

"She
needed my help, so I had to reveal my abilities to save the both of
us."

"Oh, don't
worry about it. It's nothing that either of you wouldn't have
done for me. Besides, she was the one that first came to my
rescue by trying to whack Adam with a broom stick. So
technically I owed her one," she smiled back.

"So
how did she handle finding out that you could teleport?" Clark
inquired with keen interest. His previous conversation with
Lana in the caves made him hopeful that Lana would be understanding
of those who were different, such as himself.

"She
handled it a lot better than I expected," said Alicia.
"She even promised not to tell anyone else about my abilities.
I feel like I can actually trust Lana on this one."

Clark's
spirits soared at the news. Lana was the last of his
close circle of friends not to know who he really was. If Lana
could accept Alicia, would she be able to accept him? Unlike
Alicia, he had extraterrestrial origins. But if what Lana told
him in the caves was true, then perhaps she wouldn't have a real
problem with that either.

"Wow," he replied to
Alicia's remark, "I'm glad she took it well."

"Yeah,
me too…" Alicia trailed off, wondering that if Lana could be
so understanding towards her, why did Clark not trust Lana enough
with his own abilities?

"… Clark, why didn't you ever
tell Lana about your abilities? Judging by the way she reacted
to finding out about me, I think she would have understood."

Alicia's new question caught Clark by surprise. There
was no believable way to express to Alicia the idea that he was
literally from another planet without giving away his true origins.
He stumbled around in his mind for a suitable response.

"It's
not that I don't trust Lana…" he began.

"Then
what is it?"

"It's complicated…"

"Does
it have anything with this Jor-El character you guys were talking
about?"

Clark really didn't want to touch the upon the
subject of Jor-El. So he did his best to come up with a
plausible reason for not wanting to reveal his secret even to
trustworthy people.

"Look Alicia, I didn't tell Lana
because I worried about her safety. And it looks like I was
right. Now you're both being chased by someone who's in all
likelihood interested in my abilities."

Despite Clark's
seemingly sensible answer, Alicia wasn't entirely convinced.
She felt that there was something Clark wasn't telling her, and that
both Lana and this Jor-El were tied to him in some way she
couldn't quite yet grasp. Although she wanted to dispute
Clark's explanation, it was hard arguing against the logic of his
answer. She didn't want to push him further, so all she could
do was hope that maybe he would open up to her in time.

Adam lay down in bed in
his safe house, fresh from meeting with Lex to discuss the proposals
of the younger Luthor. Lex promised that in return for uncovering
all of Lionel's illegal research, he would in turn use the fruits
of his father's labor to find Adam a permanent cure for his failing
liver. Adam had to admit that he was very intrigued by the prospect
of bringing Lionel Luthor down from the inside. However, he wasn't
sure if he could trust Lex to uphold his end of the bargain once
Lionel was out of the way. In order for this to work, he needed to
play his cards carefully.

The sound of footsteps
climbing up the stairs of his apartment complex filtered in through
Adam's enhanced hearing. He sat up and walked towards his front
door. His hearing picked up four sets of footsteps approaching his
apartment. Adam could also smell the slight stench of chemicals that
was unique to the lab in which he was resurrected. Lionel Luthor was
coming to pay a visit.

Adam opened his door to
a grinning Lionel, who didn't seem the least bit surprised by
Adam's anticipation of his arrival. Lionel and the three members
of his security detail entered the apartment. Adam noticed that one
of the body guards was carrying a laptop computer, which he found
somewhat odd.

"Is there anything I
can help you with?" asked Adam, trying to temper his disdain for
Lionel.

"Just an update,"
Lionel said with a little too much fake cheer for Adam's liking.

"Nothing out of the
ordinary yet," Adam lied. He didn't want to give up his
knowledge of Alicia Baker's abilities unless he could use the
knowledge to leverage something out of Lionel.

Adam silently cursed
himself. How could Lionel know all this? Had Lex betrayed him? Or
did Lionel have someone else spy on them?

Lionel's grin grew
wider as he saw the gears turning in Adam's head. In fact, Lionel
had bugged Lex with a state of the art microscopic video and audio
recorder without Lex's knowledge. This was a fact he withheld from
Adam with delight. He wanted to keep Adam off balance while
simultaneously eroding any trust he had in Lex. The grin on his face
faded as he looked Adam in the eye.

"You've made a
grave mistake by taking me so lightly," Lionel snarled.

Lionel motioned to the
bodyguard with the laptop. The guard promptly opened the laptop to
reveal a streaming video of a teenage girl bound and gagged with a
gun pointed to her head.

Adam recognized the
girl in the video. It was his younger sister. His heart sank while
the rage within him boiled over.

"She could be
anywhere in the world, Mr. Nash. The important thing for you to know
is that if the gunman aiming at your sister's head fails to receive
voice confirmation from me at regular intervals not to shoot, your
sister will be joining you in the afterlife. Understood?"

Adam clenched his fists
in a simmering rage. He wanted to rip Lionel's head off, but he
could do nothing. Nothing but submit to Lionel's demands. For
now.

Lionel crossed his arms
in a triumphant fashion and looked down on Adam.

"Since you've
effectively blown your cover, Mr. Nash, there is only one thing that
you could possibly do to keep your sister alive."

"What do you need me
to do?" Adam asked through clenched teeth.

"You need to capture
Ms. Baker and Clark Kent. Bring them to me alive. You have until
the end of the week. Otherwise, your family will be hosting yet
another funeral. Is that clear?"

After dropping off Alicia, Clark drove directly to the
Kawatche caves. Using his super hearing, he ensured that no one
was in range to witness anything that could potentially happen if he
confronted Jor-El. He strode into the caves full of
indignation. How dare Jor-El drag his friends into their
conflict. Hadn't Jor-El done enough to Clark's family?

Clark
approached the wall that contained the opening for the octagonal key
that once belonged to his spaceship. He placed the key in its
slot and watched as the cave rumbled to life. The symbols
surrounding the key opening began to swirl around and glow with blue,
red, and yellow lights. The key itself began to glow and take
on the colors of the symbols surrounding it, eventually morphing into
the pentagonal crest of the house of El. Then a column of bright
blue light shot down from the cave ceiling, completely enveloping
Clark. Soon after, the booming voice of Jor-El resonated throughout
the cavern.

Kal-El. You have returned.

"I'm not going to
let you keep ruining the lives of the people around me Jor-El!"

You are mistaken
Kal-El. It is not I who brings suffering upon those you care for.
It is you who are responsible. By refusing to accept your destiny,
you continue to bring anguish to those whom you claim to love.

Jor-El's words made
Clark's blood boil. He couldn't believe that Jor-El had the
audacity to pin the blame on him.

"My destiny?!!" he
screamed, "If you want me to become a tyrannical ruler, you can
forget about it! I refuse to become a monster that would use my
power to oppress those I love!"

Is that what you
think your destiny is Kal-El? If so, you are completely misguided.

"What are you
saying?"

You were never
destined to lord over this planet, Kal-El.

Clark's mind swirled
in confusion over Jor-El's revelation. Did Jor-El just say that
Clark wasn't meant to develop into the tyrant he was always afraid
he would become?

"But what about the
message you left me in my ship? You told me to rule the human race
with strength. You said that is where my greatness lies."

Kal-El, if you had
only continued your Kryptonian training instead of running away from
your calling, you would have understood the true meaning of that
message.

"Really?" he said
full of cynicism. "Then why don't you enlighten me to this 'true
meaning,' then!"

As you wish. It is
not the true Kryptonian way to rule through strength and domination.
Those who have followed such a path of tyranny have traditionally
been rejected and banished by Kryptonian society. In Krypton, those
who rule do not do so by subjugating those around them. To rule
means to lead. To lead means to guide those around you by serving as
a light that shows the way. You will find that this is a philosophy
shared by the more enlightened minds and cultures of the human race
as well. You are not destined to be a tyrant, Kal-El. You are
destined to be a leader.

Clark could barely
believe what he was hearing. If what Jor-El said was true, then it
would turn Clark's understanding of himself, Jor-El, and
Kryptonians in general completely on its head. He was no longer a
monster, but a potential savior. Clark found it difficult to wrap
his mind around such a possibility. He needed to be sure that Jor-El
truly meant what he was saying.

"I'm not sure if I
believe you… didn't you say that humans are a flawed race?"

Humans are most
certainly flawed Kal-El, but Kryptonians are not free from flaws
themselves. You only need look to our dead civilization to realize
that.

"Then why do you
think I'm more fit to lead than any other person on this earth?
All I've ever wanted was to belong."

Kal-El, you must
understand that by virtue of being Kryptonian you have been endowed
with great powers. These powers are accompanied by heavy burdens,
great responsibilities, and grave consequences. Try as you may,
these are realities you cannot avoid. Remember that even though you
have been raised as a human being you are not one of them. They can
be a great people Ka-El…they wish to be, they only lack the light
to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good,
I have sent them you, my only son.

Jor-El's words left
Clark speechless. The big picture Jor-El presented to him was
overwhelming. He'd never thought of his role on earth as being so
important or so grand. It seemed to make Clark's personal concerns
seem almost trivial by comparison. Although he felt awe at the
thought of filling such an important post, it also drove home the
point that he was irrevocably different and alone in this world.
Clark felt incredibly torn. Clark may have agreed with Jor-El's
vision to be a shining light for humanity in the future, but Clark
feared that very same light would incinerate anyone who ever got
close to him. As always, his existence dealt him with an unenviable
catch-22.

"But what about my
family? My friends? What happens to them? I can't just leave
them… I need some time to think about this."

Though you may want
time to ponder your decision, be forewarned that every moment spent
delaying your training will not only jeopardize your mission, but put
those close to you in increasing danger as well. You must look
beyond your own selfish desires and consider the greater good. You
do your loved ones a disservice by refusing to fulfill your destiny.
Instead of reaching your full potential, you risk drawing the wrath
of your enemies towards those closest to you.

"How would you know?
You've never been in this situation before!"

I speak from
experience, Kal-El. I know first hand the consequences of refusing
to fulfill my own destiny. Often our own selfishness results in
innocents paying the ultimate price. Do not let my mistake be yours.

Clark thought back to
Jor-El's memories of defying his father by wanting to stay with
Louise on Earth.

"Are you talking
about Louise?" he asked.

Indeed. Heed my
counsel. Even now, those who would exploit you are poised to strike
at you and the ones you cherish. It is only a matter of time before
you lose the things you most want to protect. If you continue to
delay, everything I predict shall come to pass. Although I have
tried to force your hand in the past, there is no substitute for
experiencing the consequences of your own actions. I now leave the
choice to you, my son.

And just like that, the
cave went dark with no sign of Jor-El's presence. Clark looked at
the wall in front of him and caught the key as it dislodged from its
slot. He stood there for the next few minutes, contemplating
everything Jor-El had laid in front of him.

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